Exiled opposition leader flies home for election

The exiled leader of Azerbaijan's opposition movement will return to the capital, Baku, this afternoon, hoping that thousands of supporters will gather to prevent his arrest by the authorities.

The former parliamentary speaker Rasul Guliev, who heads the Azerbaijani Democratic party, told Interfax yesterday from London that he was confident "broad support" in Azerbaijan and abroad would prevent his arrest.

He denies charges that he embezzled £70m while in office, and he intends to run in the parliamentary election on November 6.